Some Union City World War II, Korea, and Vietnam War Veterans

Drafted to Fight in World War IIUnion City TimesMonday March 13, 1944The Draft Board office here today reported that the group of 13 men called from this district for naval service, first under the pre-induction reserve, pool plan, reported at headquarters here Saturday and were sent to Erie.In the past many inductees have been sent to Pittsburgh and then forwarded to the training station at Great Lakes, Illinois or Sampson, new york, but word from Erie stated that the men called Saturday were to be sent direct to one of the naval training stations. It was not learned to which base the local men had been assigned.Union City men who left with the Navy group Saturday were:Roland BlauserHenry BeersFrank KennedyRussell MorrisLoval BurnsWayne LillieHerbert Pease, Jr.Others in the group were Clare Capwell and Calvin Walker of Corry; Alton Laurie, Westfield, New York; Klare Young, Edinboro; Ardell Range, Mill Village; and Harold Hostetteler, Edinboro.Staff Sergeant Raymond KingStaff Sergeant Raymond King, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry King of Lawrence Park, and nephew of Mr. and Mrs. Murn Danner of Union City, was shot down over the Anzio Beach sector of Italy on March 18, 1944. The War Department notified his family on Saturday that he is missing in action. Sgt. King was a waist gunner aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress based in Italy.When last heard from, Sgt. King had completed 40 missions and had hopes of being back in the States by May 1st. He holds two silver stars for gallantry in action, the air medal, and six oak leaf clusters. He also won a special oak leaf cluster for shooting down a German FW 190 and wears seven theater of war ribbons.Early in February, his Fortress "Mr. Lucky" was badly shot up over enemy country, but the crew kept aloft until they crashed into the ocean, where they were later picked up by a British air-sea rescue boat.Sgt. King graduated from Lawrence Park High School and entered the service in November 1942. He received his training in Texas, Arizona, and Colorado. His wife, the former Esther Benson, and his infant son, live in Jamestown, New York.Mr. and Mrs. King hadn't heard from Sgt. King in many weeks until finally they received a letter from him saying that he was in a rest camp after being shot down while on a bombing mission.The letter read:"It's not a too pleasant topic to discuss, but I'll give you a few facts about it and the rest will have to wait until I come home. We were on a bombing mission one morning and had our plane shot full of holes by enemy ack-ack. Things happened pretty fast and before long we only had one engine left. We were preparing to bail out over enemy territory but Gerry, our pilot, decided we could beat the Huns by crashing out in the ocean. So with our altitude and one engine, we managed to get out over the ocean before we ditched. We stayed with the plane, throwing every possible thing over board to lighten the ship. We hit the water with what would be termed a beautiful landing and as we have practiced water ditching we all came through safely. Although we had trouble with our life boats, our life preservers kept us afloat until we were picked up by an air reserve boat of the British."Mr. Lucky," our plane, floated for about three minutes, and it wasn't a pretty sight to see it break apart and sink. It was a good plane and got us back from many a tough mission."Some Union City Korean War VeteransGeorge W. Adolphson, Cpl. U.S. Army, Korea. 1930-1977. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.William Becker. Pfc. U.S. Army Korea. 1928-1981. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Korean War Flagholders.William W. Bellinger. 1924-1979. Korean War Flagholder. Evergreen Book. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Robert M. Bugbee. 1926-1976. Korean War Flag Holder. Evergreen Book. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Melwin G. Chaney. 1929-1978. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.James J. Coatoam. Cpl. 2337 TSO. Korea. 1933-1974. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.Frederick M. Coe. Cp. 471 Air Sv. G.P. 1927-1956. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Eveergreen.Glenn E. Conklin. 1931-194. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen.Clair Alfred Duryee. Pfct. U.S. Amry Korea. 1928-1978. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen.Richard J. Gregory. Pvt. Co. K 21 Inf. Korea. 1930-1950. Killed in Korea. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.Robert J. Hunter. BM U.S.N. Korea. 1928-1978. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.Harvey A. Johnson. Pfc. Co. A 2nd Inf. 1907-1951. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen CemeteryNeil L. Jones Jr. Pvt. U.S.Army. 1931-1978. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Walter M. Kozik. Korea. 1932-1992 Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.Scott P. Lilley. Pct. 9400 Tech Ser. U.S.N. 1916-1963. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Archie R. Manross. TS U.S. Navy Korea. 1937-1983. Buried in Evergreen. Korean War Flagholder.Terrence L. McGahen. 1933-1983. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Arden E. Meredith. A/211 6th AAF. 1921-1948. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Harold D. Merkle. 1935-1956. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.George O. Middleton. Sgt. U.S. Army Korea. 1931-1976. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.William J. Pelc. Cpl. U.S.Army Korea. 1925-1984. Buried in St. Terea's Cemetery.Joseph M. Proctor. 1939-1986. Korea. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.David E. Stokes. SK3/U.S. Navy. 1933-1953. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Russell L. Stone. 1928-1981. Korean War Flagholder. Donald Eugene Taylor. HMC/U.S. Navy. Korea, Vietnam. November 19, 1931-February 9, 1974. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Arnold "Mel" Weilacher. Sp/3 U.S. Army Korea. 1937-1974. Korean War Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Anthony J. Wrona. Korea. 1931-1990. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.Some Union City Vietnam VeteransRobert L. Chase. Vietnam Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Paul Chester Daley. Pennsylvania SP4 Ordnance SN US Navy. September 23, 1946-July 3, 1970. Vietnam Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.John Patrick Dudas. M SG. U.S. Army. Vietnam. 1935-1984.Terry J. Estes. SP4 Us Army. June 6, 1954-February 9, 1992. Vietnam Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen.Richard J. Fellows. Sgt. U>S. Air Force. Vietnam. August 29, 1940-August 16, 1971. Vietnam Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.LeRoy E. Fladry. Sgt. 173 ABN BDE Vietnam. 1946-1967. Vietnam Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.James L. Galkowski. 1st Lt. U.S. Army. Vietnam. 1947-1969. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.Bernard P. Kiehart. P.d. 3/C U.S. Coast Guard. 1952-1975. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.William D. Lord. Sgt. USMC 1943-1986. Vietnam Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen.George J. Magee. SP 5 US Army. Vietnam. November 8, 1948-June 15, 1980. Vietnam Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen.David Keith Sanden. SP4 U.S. Army. October 18, 1946-July 28, 1968.Vietnam. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery.Donald J. Tujetsch. SP 4 U.S. Army. Vietnam. 1947-1978. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.Robert M. Woodley. PO 1/C Navy Seebees. Vietnam. 1946-1983. Vietnam Flagholder. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery. "Love Is Forever."Paula Kay Wontenay. SSg U.. Army. Vietnam. 1955-1979. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.Joseph Zajac. Sgt. U.S. Army. Vietnam. 1936-1985. Buried in t. Teresa's Cemetery.John S. Zielinski. SP/5 Army. Vietnam. 1947-1978. Buried in St. Teresa's Cemetery.